Goldfish Don't Bounce
by poetanddidntknowit34
Summary: Harry and Draco are forced to be partners in Auror training, but when they get a pet, at least they have something in common. That is, until something happens to that pet.


Harry walked into the Auror Academy for his first day of training school feeling confident and bold. He saw several friendly faces there, but he was more excited that Ron and Hermione were going through training at the same time he was. He really hoped that he'd get chosen as the partner for of them; he didn't really want to work with anyone else.

The current Head Auror silenced the room and passed out a test designed to match all the Aurors up with the perfect partner that they'll live, fight, and work with through school, and continue to work together on the job. That's why Harry hoped he got Ron or Hermione; someone he could work with easily.

But when the Head Auror called his name, and Harry Potter stood and came to the front, he wasn't expecting his partner to be, "Draco Malfoy." The room fell silent and Ron was trying to laugh at the surprised look on both the boys' faces. Draco shook the surprise off his face and sauntered up to the front in his casual way. The Head Auror gave them both a room key and they hauled their suitcases up to their room in silence.

The flat was a two bedroom, two bathroom space with a kitchen and living room area. It was spacious and nice and Harry could definitely picture himself living here happily for the next year. Well, happily if it wasn't for Draco; who had, by this point, disappeared into one of the bedrooms and was probably unpacking his stuff. What Harry thought was weird, however, was that Draco had been silent all this time.

Harry just shrugged it off and went into the remaining bedroom to unpack his things. When he had finished and was storing his suitcase under his bed, he heard a tentative cough come from the doorway. He turned to face Draco and narrowed his emerald green eyes, preparing for the insults, "What, Malfoy?"

But what Draco did next surprised Harry. He crossed the room and jutted his hand out, wanting Harry to shake his hand, "Truce, Harry. If we're going to be Auror partners for our whole adult life, we might as well do it as friends. Besides, it'll be easier in battle if we both know the other has our back."

Harry was stunned, but he reached out and shook the blond's hand anyway, "Truce," He paused, "Draco." It was the first time the two boys had spoken without malice or hate and had both used the other's first name. It was kind of nice. Maybe the two boys could make good partners after all.

*2 Months Later*

Harry was lounging on the couch reading the Daily Prophet when Draco burst in the front door of their flat. He had startled Harry, but he was too excited to care, "HARRY! HARRY LOOK! LOOK WHAT I GOT US!" Draco ran up to the couch and held up a small plastic bag with a large goldfish swimming around inside.

Harry was stunned before he finally said, "No, Draco. We're not taking care of a fish."

"Oh c'mon, please! I've always wanted one, but Dad never let me." Draco pleaded with his friend, trying hard to master the puppy-dog face that Astoria always uses to get something new that she wanted.

"Then YOU take care of it. I can't be troubled with whether or not that animal lives or dies." Harry said sternly, laying the paper down on the coffee table.

Draco tried another approach, "Didn't you just say yesterday that Ginny is pregnant?"

"Yeah. What's your point?"

"Well, this is good practice for a baby! You have to feed it, clean up after it, and make sure it stays alive." Draco mentally crossed his fingers. Harry considered the suggestion for a little while, but when he looked like he wasn't buying into it, Draco blurted, "I'll let you name it."

Harry's face lit up, "Fine, we'll keep it."

"Yes!" Draco fist pumped; jarring the poor fish inside the bag.

Harry smiled devilishly, "But we're naming it Lucius Pimp-Fish."

Draco blanched, "That… That's… THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"It's hilarious." Harry said calmly as he stood and left the room.

"NO IT'S NOT!" Draco called after him, "We'll name him Lucius, but not the other part!"

Three weeks later Harry had grown extremely attacked to Lucius the fish the two partners decided to display the pet on a small table in the living room. Lucius swam around happily day after day and Harry fed him enough food to make him fat within the short span of time they'd had the fish. Draco was attached to the fish as well and he was right about the fish being practice for a baby; Lucius was a high-maintenance goldfish, but Draco loved to take care of him. He loved feeding him and watching him swim around contently in his bowl. He loved it so much, that he wanted to have a baby of his own. When he told Harry his thoughts, Harry just simply told him that he needed to talk to his wife, because Harry couldn't help him. Draco did talk to Astoria; but she said that she was going to enjoy her figure for a few more years before she let him put a baby inside her, and that was the end of that conversation.

But the fish was enough for him while he finished up his training and he was enjoying his time at the Academy and his time with his new friend. And Lucius the fish was his baby. His baby that he shared with Harry… Normally, Draco would've cringed at that sentence, but since it was a fish, he was ok with it.

Draco was sitting in the living room trying to concentrate on his write up report for one of his classes, but he couldn't escape the undeniable fact that he was bored. Harry was with Ginny and Astoria was visiting her mother, so Draco was alone and bored. He began to tap his pencil rhythmically on the coffee table and he hummed a small tune, but he had the urge to get up and move. So, he got the idea to balance the pencil on his forehead.

He stood and placed the pencil, eraser side down, on top of his forehead and tried to balance it. The pencil stayed still for a little bit, but then it began to teeter backwards, so Draco backed up. He backed up and backed up and backed up until the small of his back connected with a small table. Draco shot forward and whirled around.

Lucius's bowl was teetering back and forth precariously and the water sloshed about. Finally, the water spilled over and Lucius the fish hit the floor with a sickening 'splat'. Draco lunged forward to get Lucius off the floor, but he didn't get to him in time. The bowl rolled off the table and landed on top on Lucius with a thud that broke Draco's heart. He rushed over and pulled the bowl off his baby, but he was too late. Lucius the Pimp-Fish was dead. And Draco wanted to cry.

Harry came home that evening and stopped dead in the hallway. He heard a muffled crying coming from the hall bathroom. He turned into the bathroom to find Draco sitting against the wall across from the toilet; whimpering softly while tears streamed down his perfectly pale face.

"Draco!" Harry dropped his things and went to sit on the bathroom floor next to his partner, "Draco what happened?"

Draco looked at Harry through misted and unseeing eyes, "Harry, goldfish don't bounce."

"Wh—what?" Harry was confused for a moment, but then he saw the empty fish bowl next to the sink, "Draco, is Lucius the Pimp-Fish," he paused before whispering, "Dead?"

Draco nodded slowly before saying through his sobs, "I'm sorry Harry! I didn't mean to kill him! I bumped into the bowl and Lucius didn't bounce and he could've lived if only he had bounced out of the way!" He was wailing now. Draco buried his hands in his face and kept crying.

"Draco, it's OK, it's not your fault." Harry was sad too; he really loved that fish.

"No, no, no! It IS my fault! I could've saved him!" Draco was hysterical now.

Harry pulled his partner up off the bathroom floor and pulled him into his bedroom, "Draco, it's past midnight and you're exhausted. You should get some sleep and you won't feel as terrible in the morning."

"But, aren't you sad too?" Draco asked quietly.

"Of course I'm sad," Harry said, "But I'm more concerned about you curling up and dying on the bathroom floor."

Draco nodded gently and curled up in his bed, "Harry?"

"Yeah?" Harry was halfway out the door before he turned back to Draco.

"He was a good fish."

"Yes. Yes he was."

***Rest in peace Lucius the Pimp-Fish…***


End file.
